4 shocking trades 49ers could still make before Week 1

The 49ers have mostly completed the majority of roster-building ahead of the 2022 season, yet there are still some big-name trades that could take place.

If we’ve learned anything about San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, it’s the fact they won’t avoid looking to improve their roster however possible.

This also potentially means jettisoning some players with the hope of landing some future capital of some kind down the road, too. And it doesn’t always have to be a big-name player who’ll be on the move.

Case in point, last year, Lynch and Co. elected to trade backup linebacker Jonas Griffith to the Denver Broncos for a 2022 day-three NFL Draft pick swap after Griffith impressed during the preseason but was still a long shot to make the Niners’ 53-man roster anyway.

That was a relatively minor deal, though. San Francisco could easily engineer more noteworthy trades between now and the start of the 2022 regular season.

The 49ers, currently working their way through offseason workouts, are going to get a better glimpse of their roster shortcomings and excesses.

As such, one or more of these possible big-name trades could end up going down prior to Week 1 kicking off.

49ers trade possibility No. 4: EDGE Samson Ebukam

Pass-rushers are always at a premium in the NFL, and even second- and third-rate rushers can carry a market with relative ease.

A year ago, the Niners received modest production from EDGE Samson Ebukam in his first year with San Francisco, him notching 4.5 sacks during the regular season, which tied a career high but also should be explored in the context of him delivering some solid impacts down the stretch and into the playoffs.

That might be the selling point, as should be the fact he carries zero in guaranteed money on the final year of that two-year contract signed entering 2021.

The 49ers added to their outside pass-rushing depth during the offseason, highlighted by the Round 2 NFL Draft selection of former USC EDGE Drake Jackson, who’ll likely occupy Ebukam’s spot on the depth chart at some point, no later than 2023 when Ebukam’s contract expires and potentially as soon as the regular season this year.

Assuming Ebukam is traded, of course.